CORAL GABLES — They grew up in the same neighborhood, played on the same youth league team, went to the same high school and are now off-campus roommates in college.

But these days, Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine are closer than ever.

A position switch has put them side-by-side in the center of the Hurricanes’ secondary. Entering spring practice the coaching staff moved Redwine from cornerback to safety. That’s where Johnson, who like Redwine is entering his junior year, returns as the most experienced player.

“I’m just taking after what Quan does,” Redwine said. “He does everything right, so I’m trying to imitate him and do everything right. … It’s just like high school. He’s right there. I’m right there. We’ve got each other’s back.”

Redwine, who started five games at cornerback last year, hasn’t played safety in 24 games in college. But he did play for Miami-Killian High’s junior varsity team, and filled in for four varsity games when Johnson sat out with an injury. Regardless of his experience level, he would have eagerly accepted when defensive coordinator Manny Diaz suggested the move last month.

He has a little experience there, too. As a youngster on the Richmond Perrine Giants, the tall, lanky Redwine was a pass-rusher, after starting out as a running back. Johnson, a strong communicator on the field, wasn’t big enough to play his preferred position, middle linebacker. But he liked being a safety, the last line of defense. Though small, he played everywhere on the field, earning acclaim for his playmaking ability. That carried over to high school.

The Hurricanes need big-time players to replace Rayshawn Jenkins and Jamal Carter, four-year contributors and now-graduated starters. They were two of UM’s three leading tacklers in 2016 and cleaned up a great many mistakes from a talented-but-young front seven. Diaz said UM needs steady replacements, since Miami plays two of its first three games on the road: at Arkansas State and, more importantly, at Florida State.

“There’s no room for on-the-job training with our team,” Diaz said.

Johnson (5-11, 190), whom Diaz referred to as “the head guy,” is likely to start at one of Miami’s safety spots. Hard-hitting freshman Amari Carter (6-2, 197), sophomore Romeo Finley (6-1, 205) and redshirt sophomore Robert Knowles (6-1, 198) — who also lives with Johnson and Redwine (6-1, 200) — are also competing for time.

“It looks like it is working out for him right now,” Diaz said of Redwine. “He is really doing a nice job. The biggest thing is that he looks like he is having fun playing football. He is running around back there, he is just enjoying himself, he is being active, he is getting around the football, making a lot of plays. We have to get into a live situation where the ball is storming at him. But from what I have seen so far, he has really embraced the role and is running with it.”

Diaz said

It’s too early to tell who will start, but Johnson admits he had a clear vision when he heard about Redwine’s move.

“I was thinking we’ll do some damage together,” he said.

Author: Matt Porter

Matt Porter grew up in Gloucester, Mass., graduated from Emerson College and worked for the Boston Globe before joining the Post in 2009. He covers the University of Miami and college sports, and pitches in on coverage of South Florida sports teams including the Miami Heat and Miami Marlins.
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